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Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Big week for Gatsby

It appears that Oregon got the benefit of a nice amendment to Senator Max Baucus's health reform bill on the eve of its passage by the Senate Finance Committee. And now the public option looks deader than ever, because it's not in the Baucus bill, which cleared the committee yesterday. Senator Wyden and his corporate bankrollers must be lovin' every minute of it.

Oh yes, as his paid flacks will tell you, Ron gave the public option his garbage-time yes votes in the committee yesterday, but these came only after it was already obvious that it was going down. He's been making his New York sour-puss face at the public option for months, and now it's dead. He isn't fooling anyone except the most gullible blue partisans.

But it's not just Wyden. With a Democratic Congress like this, who needs Republicans? I hate to say it, but when there's money on the line, Nader is right -- the two political parties in this country serve the same masters.

Comments (8)

when there's money on the line, Nader is right -- the two political parties in this country serve the same masters.

Yes. yet folks will repeatedly tell you "well, just vote in somebody else!", not noticing that the sham "democracy" really isn't a democracy at all--it's a textbook plutocracy.

The worst part is, people who want to rid themselves of "big government" simultaneously embrace "big business", which is chiefly the same thing. They give up power to corporate control and call it "democracy" and "freedom". Meanwhile, Wall Street takes their pensions, flips them the bird, gets bailed out by the government--and they *still* don't get it.

Both Republican and Democrat politicians take money from the same people so why should we expect different results?

With only two choices campaign contributors win no matter who wins the elections.
That explains why many campaign contributors give money to both parties and even give money to politicians who are unopposed.

There is a way out still and that is a third party. It is time to water the tree of liberty again as it is withering. Our freedoms are slowly being taken from us by the empty suits that pretend to be working for the people.

Nobody was in a better position to carry the flag for real universal health care after Ted Kennedy went than Ron Wyden. Very disappointed that he has lost his soul and couldn't rise to that challenge. Will probably not be voting for him again.

Ron, Here is the Rx we need: Medicare option available to everyone who wants it. No triggers, no coops, no weasel language, no multi-year delays. No sell outs.

In Switzerland, they manage to have universal health coverage without a "public option," but it involves insurance companies providing a basic plan "at cost," - they only make money on elective procedures.

Unfortunately, the Baucus plan doesn't have this structure.

And I don't see what's so wrong with co-ops if they're properly set up. If Kaiser Permanente is an example of one that's fine with me - I have had perfectly good health care from that outfit.

The fundamental difference between the US and every other first world country is this: Others tend to provide health CARE, but Americans tend to get minimal health INSURANCE. And in America, that insurance is often insufficient for all but the cheapest, most simple events.

Keep this in mind when you hear debate about health care--they're really debating health INSURANCE. And extending the current types and levels of insurance we have to all Americans isn't going to make things much better--what's needed is reform of the system, and that reform must include getting the profit motive out of caring for people's basic health.

Road Work

Miles run year to date: 113
At this date last year: 155
Total run in 2016: 155
In 2015: 271
In 2014: 401
In 2013: 257
In 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269